Tohru, Not Hondasan
by Aquagirl15
Summary: When Haru brings up an old conversation with Yuki, the rat finds himself admiting to things he never thought he had the courage to admit to. Complete!
1. Haru Confronts Yuki

A/N: This is a one-shot I've been thinking about for a while but never did anything with. I kinda like how it turned out. I apologize in advanced for the footnotes if they bother you –sweat drop- I felt I needed them so people who haven't read all the books would know what's going on.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket but I _do_ own all the manga books, one DVD, a Fruits Basket poster, and a Kyo plushie! XD

Haru leaned back in his chair watching Momiji bounce around the classroom. He raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. He had too many things on his mind to worry about the kid. Momiji was handing out candy to their class again. The bell finally rang signaling the end of the school day.

"Let's go find Yuki and the others." Haru called to Momiji.

"Yay! And Tohru too?" Momiji asked, skipping over to him. Haru smiled, amused, and nodded. The two members of the zodiac left their class room and went to find their friends.

"How is student council going Yuki-kun?" Tohru asked the boy.

"Well," he began, speaking in his soft manner, "I guess thing are going ok. At least people are listening to me. Although sometimes I think they take things a little too far…" Yuki glanced around at people waving to him and calling out Yun-Yun (1). Tohru smiled.

"It's nice that they give you a nick-name, I think." Yuki nodded.

"I don't know what it means, but I guess it's nice they care enough to give it to me." _No matter how much I dislike it. _He added in his head.

"Yo," Tohru and Yuki heard from behind them.

"Hatsuharu-kun, Momiji-kun!" Tohru called out with a grin. Yuki grabbed the back of Momiji's school uniform as he tried to run to Tohru and give her a hug.

"You can't do that here Momiji." Yuki reminded him.

"Awww…" Momiji pouted. He brightened up when Yuki let him go. He and Tohru began a conversation. Yuki tried to follow it, but it soon made his head spin. Instead he turned to Haru.

"Where's Kyo?" Haru asked casually. Yuki blinked.

"I'm not sure." He tapped Tohru on the shoulder. "Honda-san, do you know where Kyo went?" Tohru's face turned slightly worried as she shook her head.

"No… do you think something happened to him? Oh no! What if he fell and hurt himself and turned into a cat and-" a hand covered her mouth and made her stop talking. Yuki looked up to see Kyo with an annoyed look on his face.

"I'm fine. Sensei just wanted to talk to me after class."

"Are you getting such bad grades that she thinks you're as stupid as I do?" Yuki asked. Kyo balled his free hand into a fist. Tohru mumbled something no one could hear under Kyo's hand.

"Such your trap you damn rat. I'm not in the mood to put up with you." Kyo removed his hand from Tohru's mouth, shoved both hands into his pockets, and walked away from the quiet group. Everyone followed him in silence. Haru spoke up after a few minuets.

"I'm comin' over to Sensei's house with you guys. I need to talk to Yuki here." Haru put an arm around Yuki's shoulders. Yuki gave him a confused look, but nodded. When they got out of the school, Momiji had to leave the group. Tohru asked him if he wanted to come over, after apologizing to Yuki and Kyo for inviting someone over without asking them first.

After they got it settled out that Momiji had to go home right away, the four of them left continued on to Shigure's house. Yuki and Kyo stayed quiet for the most part, but Haru and Tohru were having a conversation about Kisa. Haru had seen her recently and Tohru missed her. When they got home Shigure was nowhere to be seen.

"Figures, the idiot must've taken off to avoid his editor again." Kyo said, ripping a note off the door.

_I have been called to an urgent family meeting. I do not know how long I will be gone. Don't come and find me unless you want trouble. _

_Shigure_

Kyo read this aloud to the rest of them.

"Yup, he's bluffing alright. He'd never be asked to come to the main house. Akito doesn't trust him anymore." Kyo finished, sticking the note back on the door. He led Tohru into the house, but Haru held Yuki back.

"Nh?" Yuki muttered, confused.

"I've got somethin' to bring up with you." Haru reminded him with a grin. He led Yuki onto a path that went though the woods surrounding Shigure's house. "You may remember a while ago that I told you to call Tohru by her name (2)."

"Yes." Yuki didn't feel the need to lie to Haru.

"You still call her 'Honda-san'."

"Why does it bother you Haru?"

Haru stopped walking.

"Well, let me tell you something first. I overheard you talking to Tohru that day at the summerhouse (3). You said something like 'I apologize for telling you those things that you didn't understand; I hope that you will forget them. But I won't forget about kissing you.' So, obviously, I knew you had kissed Tohru." Haru stopped to see how Yuki would react.

Yuki's face had turned red and he had something of a glare in his eyes. Haru didn't really think he was mad at him knowing, just mad that he brought it up.

"Now, the reason why it bothers me you don't call her Tohru… it should make sense to you now. You've kissed a girl who you won't call by her real name. That doesn't make very much sense Yuki." Yuki stared at the ground.

"I can't explain why I don't call her Tohru most of the time. I guess all those years of just being classmates stuck."

"Don't give me that shit Yuki. I know that girl is more to you that just a classmate now."

"I'm not trying to say she's just my classmate!" Yuki buried one of his hands in his hair in frustration. "You always try to ask people difficult questions Haru."

"I know. I know I ask difficult questions Yuki. I do it on purpose. Because I know a part of you wants to know why you don't call her Tohru just as I do. But you wanna know what else I know? You don't want to clue anyone in on your feelings, not even Tohru and especially Kyo.

"You feel like you're competing with Kyo for Tohru's attention. But you're still too afraid to tell anyone. So now, here we are, me telling you what you _know_ you feel."

"Th-that's not true! This has nothing to do with that stupid cat."

"But you won't deny anything else."

"No, I won't Haru." Yuki stared at Haru defiantly, and Haru stared back. After a moment Haru's face spread into a grin. He clapped Yuki on the back.

"Well alright then." Haru turned Yuki around, and they started heading back towards the house. Tohru stood on the deck overlooking the forest. She smiled and waved when she saw the two of them coming back to the house. Yuki couldn't help but grin himself.

"By the way Haru," Yuki turned to the other boy. "I don't know what you were thinking, but I kissed Tohru on the forehead." Haru shrugged.

"I didn't think you had the courage to do anything really intimate."

"Hey, what do you mean?" Yuki called after him. Haru just smiled.

Footnotes

(1) A nick-name given to Yuki by the Vice President of student council, Kakeru, in the 12th book.

(2) Yuki is trying to talk to Haru about Rin in the 9th book and Haru tries to change the subject.

(3) In the 11th book Yuki and the others went to a Sohma summer home. This is where Yuki kissed Tohru. Haru didn't really overhear them, but I like to improvise. –grin-


	2. Making Dinner with Tohru

A/N: Important Author's Note! In my footnotes for the last chapter I said Yuki and Haru had the conversation about Rin and Yuki calling Tohru 'Honda-san' in the 9th book, but really it was in the 8th. I apologize for that mistake. X ( Also the Sohmas and Tohru actually left for the summer home in the 10th book, but where still there in the 11th. Yuki and Tohru's kiss was kind of separated between the two books. Let me know if you want more explanation if this doesn't make sense.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruba, but I try to own Kyo. My Kyo! n.n

When Yuki went into the house he found Tohru in the kitchen. He walked in to see what she was doing. Tohru was standing on her tip-toes trying to reach a bowl in the highest cabinet.

"What do you need Honda-san?" Yuki asked before he could correct himself.

"Eh? Oh you startled me Yuki-kun." Tohru turned to look at him. "I'm making a sauce for some soumen (1), but I can't reach the bowl." Yuki crossed the room and put down his book bag that he had taken with him to talk to Haru.

"I'll get it." He offered.

"Oh no, it's fine I'll just get a-" Before Tohru could protest Yuki had gotten in front of her, reached above her head, and got the bowl down. Tohru blushed at how close he had been and finished her sentence half-heartedly. "-Step-stool."

Yuki smiled and picked up his bag again.

"Are you making dinner early?"

"Ah, yes! I thought we could have Haru stay for dinner. I hope he likes soumen…" Tohru looked slightly worried.

"Don't worry," Yuki reassured her, "I'm sure Haru would like anything you made." Tohru blushed again as Yuki left the kitchen to change out of his school uniform.

Yuki entered his room, hearing someone following him in.

"Haru," he said, not turning to look at who had followed him; he knew.

"Yup," the younger boy answered.

"What to you want now?" Yuki asked, taking his tie off and throwing it on his bed. Haru shrugged. Yuki saw this out of the corner of his eye. "I'm getting dressed." He said after a silence. He was getting slightly annoyed.

"Guess I'll just have to help Tohru in the kitchen then. Better change fast Yuki." Haru hurried out the door grinning, mostly because he didn't missed Yuki's glare.

Yuki sighed as he left, but then couldn't help smiling. _You always try to help people, Haru. You're going to have to let me help you after this. _Yuki thought. He wasn't quite sure why Haru was so determined to get him to call Tohru, Tohru. It was true what Haru had said though; he didn't know why he always called her 'Honda-san'. Yuki shook these thoughts out of his head and changed quickly, reminding himself exactly who it was in the kitchen with Tohru.

"Get the hell out of our kitchen!" a voice shouted though the house as Yuki approached the living room. He wasn't surprised to see Haru come bursting through the screen door the separated the living room and kitchen. Kyo could be seen through the new hole, with one hand balled into a fist and covered by the other. Tohru bobbed worriedly behind him, apparently torn between making sure Haru was ok and keeping Kyo from hurting him further.

Yuki raised an eyebrow at the scene, but didn't comment. He passed Haru and Kyo to go into the kitchen.

"Don't worry about Haru," he said as he approached. "Kyo won't hurt him too badly, and the same for Haru. Unless Kyo makes Haru turn black everything should be ok." Tohru smiled worriedly, but nodded. An awkward silence followed after Tohru's nod.

"Um… Did you need help with dinner?"

"Oh, no. I wouldn't want to take up any of your time Yuki-kun." Yuki smiled.

"Perhaps we could go get some fresh tomatoes and spices for your sauce. Unless you were planning something different."

"That sounds wonderful! I'll go get my gardening gloves." Tohru hurried out of the kitchen and as she did she passed Kyo and Haru.

One quick glance told her they were done fighting, for the moment. After retrieving her gloves, Tohru met Yuki on the back porch. Yuki led her down the porch steps and into the woods. They followed the familiar path down to Yuki's garden, talking quietly every now and then. Yuki felt oddly nervous around Tohru then.

When the pair arrived at the garden, they got to work, Yuki looking for spices and Tohru picking tomatoes. Yuki walked carefully around his plants, looking for the spices that would add the right kind of flavor to the sauce. Suddenly he heard Tohru scream slightly. His head snapped around and he quickly came back to her.

"Tohru are you ok?" He asked.

"Y-yes, I just squeezed one of the tomatoes too hard." She laughed slightly and stood up. She had tomato juice on her shirt. Yuki pulled a rag out of his pocket and came over to her.

"You said once that tomato juice stains badly. You should wipe it up before it has a chance to." Tohru accepted the rag from him with a smile.

Yuki bent down on his knees and motioned for Tohru to do the same.

"If you pull the fruit off from the top and support its bottom with your other hand, you won't crush it and it won't fall onto the ground." Yuki did this as he spoke and the tomato came off the plant easily. Yuki put this in a basket they always left down at the garden, and watched Tohru. She did what he said to, but accidentally squeezed the bottom of the fruit with her supporting hand.

Again Tohru found herself covered in juice.

"I-I'm so bad at this Yuki-kun. I'm afraid if I keep trying, all your beautiful tomatoes will be crushed." Tohru hung her head. Yuki put his hand under her chin and lifted her head.

"It's ok Tohru, it just takes time. You have to be gentle and patient. To tell you the truth I squashed plenty of tomatoes when I first planted this garden." Yuki took Tohru's hands with his own and placed them on another tomato. "Just relax your bottom hand and hold the tomato like an egg. Then all you have to do is pull gently from the top."

Yuki continued to hold Tohru's hands as she pulled the tomato off its plant.

"Yuki-kun I… I did it." He smiled and let her put it in the basket along with the one he picked. "I don't deserve your patience." Tohru sighed.

"Of course you do." Yuki said gently. "Everyone deserves a second chance."

"You do too." Tohru agreed.

Yuki left Tohru again to get the spices, thoughts swirling at Tohru's last comment. She didn't know how close that hit him. No one had ever really given him a second chance. Especially Akito. Akito had locked Yuki in the room without giving him a second chance to show he didn't need to be confined. Then again, Akito had never given anyone a second chance. _That doesn't change the fact that I deserved one. _Yuki thought sadly.

The sun was starting to set when Tohru and Yuki finished. Tohru carried the spice leaves Yuki picked in a small brown bag, while Yuki held the tomato basket. There were about five fair sized tomatoes in it.

"Thank you for helping me pick the tomatoes, Yuki-kun." Tohru said as they walked.

"You would have done fine eventually without my help." Yuki tried to be modest.

"But because you helped me I only broke two." She replied gently. Yuki couldn't find a way to continue the conversation, so he didn't reply.

The pair arrived back at the house soon after that, and came in the back door. They took off their gloves and washed their hands and the tomatoes. Yuki and Tohru worked together without a second thought. Tohru prepared the spices and Yuki cut the tomatoes. When it came to the point Yuki didn't know how to help with the sauce, he got a pan to make the soumen in.

Tohru called Haru and Kyo when the food was done. She, Yuki, Kyo, and Haru sat down around the table that had already been set by Yuki.

"You made home-made sauce again didn't you?" Kyo asked. Tohru nodded. "Ah, why do you go to so much trouble for us? You know you don't have to."

"I like to, my mom said there's always something special about things you make by yourself. It's not the same if you use pre-made." Kyo shrugged and began eating.

Yuki, however, smiled at her words. _Yes, _he thought, _there is something extra special about this meal. I don't know if it's because I made it with Tohru or not, but whatever it is it's special. _

Footnote

(1) Soumen means noodles in Japanese, or literally, fine white noodles.

A/N: Depending on the reviews I get for this new chapter, this might or might not be the last chapter. Let me know if you want more!


	3. Rolling the Ball

A/N: Huzza! I got the 13th Fruba book. But the 14th one doesn't come out until August. That means a whole summer with no new Fruits Basket. –Tear-

After dinner Yuki and Tohru stayed behind to clean up together. It felt oddly natural for both of them, being together. Tohru still had a smile on her face from what had happened in the garden. She had an odd desire to be close to Yuki, she wasn't sure what that meant, but it felt nice to her. She hummed while she and Yuki gathered up plates and silverware.

"Do you always have so much fun cleaning up after us?" He asked jokingly.

"Ah, oh no, it's not that. It's just; I really like doing things with you Yuki-kun." Yuki blushed slightly.

"Really?" Tohru nodded.

"Yeah, there's no one else who could have taught me how to work in a garden, or done a lot of the things you've done for me. You're a really fun person to be around Yuki. And you're really kind too."

Yuki smiled embarrassedly, and suddenly realized that she was right. Not many people would have taken in an orphan girl without any second thoughts like they had. While that was partly due to Shigure's perverted-ness, both he and Kyo had accepted her. Maybe not with open arms at first, and still not completely, but it was the first time Yuki had ever really learned to trust an 'outsider'.

And then when her grandfather's home renovation was finished they had gone back to get her again. That, Yuki decided to himself, was one of the most important choices he had ever made.

"Tohru?" Yuki dropped the rag he was holding on the table. Tohru stopped her work as well and turned to look at the boy. He looked so serious and determined, that her eyes widened slightly.

"Y-yes Yuki-kun?"

The rat sighed and ran a hand through his hair, trying to give himself time to think.

"Do you remember me saying anything about needing to open a lid?" If the circumstances had been different, this statement would have been funny. Tohru bit her lip slightly.

"Yes, I didn't really understand what you meant though. It was at the summer house Momiji invited us to." Yuki nodded.

"This seems like a really weird time to be talking to you about this, but I want you to know. You see, when I was younger I was confined, a lot like what Akito is planning to do to Kyo. And like Kisa, I wouldn't speak for a long time. Haru got me out by convincing Shigure to take me in. At the time Akito trusted Shigure and let me out.

"But not soon enough that part of me was crushed. Before then, when I was a naïve kid, I didn't think anything about turning into a rat when a girl hugged me. I didn't have the slightest clue what the big deal with God and Akito was. Then, not too long after I helped a lost girl find her way home and gave her my hat, Akito confined me."

Tohru looked slightly scared as she took all of this in.

"So-so you were the little boy who helped me when I was lost?" Yuki nodded.

"I only found out it was you when I saw my old hat in your room. That's why I asked about it, to see if you knew who I was."

Everything about Yuki's past sort of came tumbling down on Tohru. Akito had beaten him down when he was too young to understand why, and too young to do anything about it. Ayame didn't help Yuki, because if truth be told, he didn't really know what had become of his almost non-existent younger brother. Yuki had already mentioned he and his parents were the very harsh opposite of close, so that left Yuki with no one to turn to. Or so he thought.

"Is that why you and Haru have become so close?" Tohru asked.

"I guess so… I never really thought about why and how it happened, I just knew it did."

"I'm really sorry Yuki-kun." Yuki looked up to see Tohru's eyes downcast and her arms hanging limply at her sides.

"Nh? What do you mean?"

"I never asked you about anything, I never took the chance to try and make sure you were ok…"

"Tohru," Yuki walked away from the table and across the room to where Tohru stood. "You don't have to do that. You don't have to blame yourself for not knowing. To be honest I wouldn't have told you if you asked." Now Yuki stood right in front of the confused girl.

"But now, I think I'd be able to answer any of your questions. You've opened the lid I've been talking about. You've opened my soul, and now I think I can show you how I really feel." Yuki took one of Tohru's hands and held it gently in his own. He gave her one of his soft, meaningful smiles and kissed Tohru. He pulled away before she could figure out what had happened, let alone decide if she wanted to return his kiss or not.

The seconds before anyone said or did anything seemed to hang in the air. Yuki didn't release Tohru's hand, but he felt his heart speeding up, which was strange because he had been perfectly calm when he kissed her. _Did I do something wrong? _He worried, starting to feel sick.

"Yuki…" Before the boy had a chance to stop her, Tohru had thrown her arms around him. When he turned into a rat, she picked him up off the ground and kissed the top of his head. The pair heard a chuckle behind them.

"Looks like you lucked out Yuki."

"Haru!"

"Hatsuharu-kun!" The first yell was Yuki's; both angry and embarrassed the younger boy had seen what had happened. The second was Tohru's, and she was just plain embarrassed. Both teens were blushing deeply, though it wasn't visible on the rat. The ox smiled.

"Yeah, you're lucky enough, for a cursed guy. You got the girl and on the way there managed to reveal parts of your past only a few of us know about. Looks like you accomplished somethin' today huh?"

"Ah, um… Yuki-kun, you're still a rat!" Tohru danced around for something to say. She placed the boy down on the floor next to his clothes and hurried out of the room.

Haru looked down at Yuki with a smug smile on his face.

"I knew you'd be able to get the ball rollin'. You just needed someone to convince you the ball needed to be rolled."

"I suppose I should be thanking you." Yuki replied quickly. After he said this he turned back into a human and promptly put his clothes back on. Haru waited until he was done.

"No thanks needed Yuki, unless you really think I need it." Yuki gave a faint smile.

"I think I have a way to thank you, and help you at the same time."

"I have a feeling I know where this is goin'. But it's obvious that you can't do anything. Rin hates you more than she hates me."

"Rin doesn't hate either of us. She's just standoffish ever since the accident. Yeah, she wants you to think she hates you, but she doesn't really."

"Since when have you been an expert on what girls are thinking?"

"I'm not; I'm just relating it to what happened to me. I didn't want people to think I hated them, just that I didn't need them."

"Whatever, you try to do what you wanna do, I'm not gonna stop you."

"Really Haru, thanks."

Haru smiled and put his hand on Yuki's shoulder. He shook it slightly.

"Don't mention it. Just promise me you'll keep that ball in motion."

"I'll do whatever it takes." Yuki replied with a smile.

Well… looks like that's the end of this story. If you guys liked this one enough I could try and continue it with a different story about how Yuki gets Rin and Haru back to together. That sounds like a challenge to write, so I'm up for it if anyone's interested.


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